Hi, all. I'm about to reveal my Hungarian (well, half-Hungarian)
temperament here, so the fainthearted should take cover.
I am completely lost on the issue of daycare paranoia with
breastmilk. Yes, AIDS is terrifying and hepatitis B etc. no fun
and games, either, but GET A GRIP! Do daycare workers don gloves
every time they wipe every baby's drooly chin or snotty nose? Do
they NEVER kiss a crying toddler's boo-boo? Bottom line: Seems
to me that breastfed babies are being discriminated against.
By the way, my husband had hep B, apparently a subclinical case,
after an outbreak in the dialysis unit where he was working.
Months later, he was found to be plus 4 antibodies, no antigens.
Somewhere in between, I got pregnant with #2. None of us, me, #1
or #2 got hep B (we've been tested). I think I remember that it's
"easier" to become infected with hep B than with AIDS, and that
BM is not the perfect vehicle to pass on AIDS. I am no expert,
far from it, and my husband's resulting chronic hepatitis with
side effects has had serious repercussions on our family, so I
believe that I can be considered "sympathetic" to this argument,
but in my opinion, a reality check is in order in the case of
daycare and breastmilk. Sensible precautions against these
terrible diseases is certainly in order, but I have a low
tolerance for discriminatory hysteria.
Well, THAT's off my chest. Waiting for the rocks to be thrown,
Judy (hiding behind her soapbox)